


Malfoy's Don't Apologize

by LostInThought96



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco Malfoy is Bad at Feelings, Dumbledore's Armada's Magic Begins From Within Flash Fic Comp, F/M, Hint of NottPott, Theo and Draco POV, Theo tries to help, Wingman Theo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:36:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28728996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInThought96/pseuds/LostInThought96
Summary: Draco Malfoy has had it pushed into his head, ever since he was a child, that Malfoy's do not apologize. There's only one person he can even imagine apologizing to and Theo Nott tries to help.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott/Harry Potter
Comments: 41
Kudos: 78
Collections: Magic Begins From Within - A Dumbledore's Armada Flash Fest Challenge





	Malfoy's Don't Apologize

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Magic_Begins_From_Within](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Magic_Begins_From_Within) collection. 



> Thank you TakingFlight48 and Kiwi for hosting this! I had so much fun writing this piece!
> 
> Thank you as well to my beta who I will add later!
> 
> My prompt was "Say 'I'm sorry' more and mean it" 
> 
> When I think of "I'm sorry" with Harry Potter, one person comes to mind more than most. Draco Malfoy. He deserved redemption and I love that we can give him that in Fanfictions! 
> 
> ENJOY!
> 
> ________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Draco, if you feel bad about it then apologize.” 

  


Twelve-year-old Theo Nott tried to reason with his friend as he flipped through a book, sitting on the stonewall in the courtyard while watching his best friend pace back and forth. Draco had been riddled with guilt since calling the bushy-haired girl, that Theo knew he had a crush on, a  _ mudblood, again. _

  


The ashen blond boy frowned sharply and comically looked around, “Keep your voice down, Nott!” He crossed his arms over his small chest and slid down the wall. He pulled his knees to his chest, rested his chin on them, and sighed. “Besides, a Malfoy does not apologize unless there’s something to gain.” 

  


Theo rolled his eyes and went back to his book. “Seems like that’ll bite you in the arse one day, but whatever you say.” 

  


******************************

  


“I can’t believe that little bitch punched me! Over a damned chicken!” Draco growled as he marched around his dorm room. 

  


True to form, Theo sat on his bed while reading and listening to his best friend rant about the girl he loved. 

  


“She’s been a pain in my ass for three years now! Gods this place is going to the dogs!” 

  


Theo couldn’t contain the loud guffaw at Draco’s words. “Please just have a conversation with her and apologize. Stop being a dick and you’ll be able to tell her how enamored you are with her.” 

  


Draco’s movements ceased, and he stood frozen in the middle of the room. His hair stuck to his forehead and his eyes shone with brief panic before he composed himself to sneer at his friend. “Malfoy’s don’t apologize.  _ Especially  _ to  _ Mudbloods _ .” 

  


Theo snickered and then smirked. “Potter is filling out nicely, though. Too bad you’re not gay.” 

  


The enraged growl and the pillow that slapped Theo in the face was completely worth it. 

  


******************************

  


“If you don’t stop staring at Granger, you’ll have to admit you love her or hex her and we both know you won’t hurt a hair on her head.” 

  


Theo lounged against the trunk of the tree that Draco sat in. The blond teenager picked leaves off the tree and let them fall slowly.    
  
“Father would have my head. He’s already upset that Precious Potter has been chosen as a champion and we’re the same age! The only reason I didn’t receive a lashing with his cane is because of Mother...” He admitted, twirling an acorn in his hand and letting it drop. 

  


Theo yelped as it landed on his head and fell into his lap. “How do you think I feel about my father finding out I like  _ wands  _ and not  _ cauldrons _ ? Unlike you, I don’t have a mother to keep my father from murdering me.” He rubbed his head softly, frowning. 

  


Draco hopped down from the tree and put his hands in the pockets of his trousers, looking down at his friend. “I think I’m going to take a walk.”

  


Theo watched as Draco’s form retreated and sighed. 

______________________________

Draco walked into the Library and made his way to the back of the stacks. He froze in place seeing the witch that invaded his mind every second of the day. She pulled her long, normally busy hair into a thick frizzy braid that hung over her shoulder. Her golden amber eyes skimmed page after page of two different books in her arms as she stood in front of the aquatic life section. 

  


He stopped and leaned against a rack of books and watched her. After a few minutes, he ran a hand through his hair and walked closer. “Why am I not surprised that I’ve found your nose in not one, but two books larger than your head?” 

  


He tapped the page of the book and stood beside her. She instantly recoiled and grimaced at him. Her petite features scrunched up in confusion and obvious annoyance as she narrowed her eyes at him. She closed both books before putting them into her bag. 

  


“Can I help you with something, Malfoy? Are you searching for a brain because this is the closest you will get?” 

  


He had never been both this close and civil to her before and had a hard time focusing on anything except her golden eyes. They lit like a fire with indignation. 

  


“Granger, you and I both know that you’re ahead of me by a mark, maybe two,” He reached out and gently tugged her braid. “I see you’re trying to keep the mane under control for once.” 

  


She rolled her eyes and batted his hand away. “Cute lion pun, Malfoy, think of it all by yourself?” She said in a snarky tone and smirked when she saw his face flicker to annoyance. 

  


“I’d shut your mouth, Granger if you know what’s good for you.” He growled as he leaned down closer. 

Hermione backed away and her back hit the bookshelf. She let out a quiet breath of air as she made contact, but her eyes, still full of that same fire he loved, didn’t leave his. Hermione’s pupils dilated and her eyes glared into his own. 

  


“And if I don’t?” She said in barely a whisper and bit her lip. 

  


Draco couldn’t take the tension anymore and slammed his lips to hers. To his surprise, she returned the kiss. It was sloppy, all teeth and the worst first kiss he could have imagined, but at the same time, it was the best. It was a moment he would treasure for years. 

  


Until it wasn't. 

  


All too soon, in Draco’s opinion, Hermione ripped her mouth from his. She left him with a stinging slap to his cheek and ran away before he could react. 

  


Draco stood in place, in shock, and reached up to touch his reddening cheek. “Fucking hell..” 

  


******************************

  


“I got to hold her, Theo.”

  


Theo raised an eyebrow and frowned. “You had her arms behind her back, one of your arms around her throat, and your wand pointed at her. You were holding her  _ against her will _ . You were her bloody  _ captor _ , Drake.” Theo said, absolutely disgusted with his best friend’s actions. 

  


“Yes, but she understood why I had to do it! Umbridge was in direct contact with my father and if he ever discovered I had feelings for Granger, he’d kill me or worse, disown me and cut me off. I tried to get the pink toad to let me go to the Forbidden Forest with them, but she wouldnt let me. I was trying to protect Granger.” 

  


“And Potter?” 

  


“Sure, and your boyfriend,” Draco smirked. 

  


Theo rubbed a hand down his face and sighed. “Have you even talked to her since accosting her last year?” He held his hand up at Draco and shook his head as Draco opened his mouth. “Insults do not count, Malfoy.” 

  


Draco shut his mouth and slowly shook his head. “No, I suppose not.” 

  


“You need to apologize, Draco. You need to have a conversation with her. I believe she’s in the infirmary if you're willing to go and be a normal human being.” 

  


“Malf-” 

  


“Don’t you dare say ‘Malfoys don't apologize’ Draco. If you love this girl, if you want any chance with her, you'll apologize to Granger and get over yourself.” 

_____________________________   


Draco made his way to the Hospital Wing with Theo trailing behind him. He carried a plate of food he stole from the kitchens for her.

  


“You go in, I'll stand watch out here. Just remember to not make it about yourself for Circe’s sake.” Theo grumbled as he leaned against the wall. 

  


Draco walked in and looked for Hermione’s bed. He also saw Longbottom in a bed further away, but the boy slept. As he walked over, he heard his old professor’s voice as he bid Hermione goodnight. Draco ducked behind one of the vacant bed curtains until he heard Lupin walk out and shut the door. He made sure that Pomfrey’s office remained shut, and the light stayed dark before going to Hermione’s curtained bed. 

  


She appeared to be sleeping as she laid there with her back to him, but her shoulders shook gently and he heard her quiet sniffles. 

  


“Granger?” He whispered, a bit shocked to see her in her current state. She was shirtless except for the white bandage wrapped around her entire middle and chest. Her body stiffened when she heard his voice, and her sniffles stopped instantly. 

  


“What do you want, Malfoy?” 

  


Draco walked around the bed and placed the plate of food on the small table beside her and then shoved his hands in his pockets. She looked so vulnerable and helpless. Her normally vibrant eyes were dull and bloodshot from crying. He felt panic rise in his chest and let out a shaky breath. “I-I’m sorry, Hermione.” 

  


Before she could respond, his legs carried him out of the infirmary as fast as they could all the while ignoring Theo’s calls for him. 

  


******************************

  


After cornering Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower, Snape dragged Draco down the stairs, but they ran past Hermione. He almost buckled and turned around to defect when he saw the pain in her beautiful, honeyed, amber eyes. He held her gaze for a few seconds before the pain and betrayal he saw turned into furious hatred. The heat from her glare burned through his skull and into his brain. 

  


_ How could you?  _ Her eyes asked him.

Upon noticing his hesitance, his godfather grabbed him by his robe’s collar and yanked him away. Draco’s eyes broke away from hers and met Snape’s cold, black disappointed stare. 

  


“Put your walls up, Draco. Lest anyone  _ unsavory _ discovers your thoughts. _ ”  _ Snape ordered quietly.

  


Draco organized his mind into locked compartments. He made sure that he locked away the kiss they had shared, the way he watched her when she wasn’t looking, how he caught her staring back at him at times. Anything that could connect him to her.

  


******************************

  


Draco thought that he closed himself from true emotion, but he was wrong. Bone splitting screams and her blood stained the floor shattered all of his beliefs. His stomach turned at the scene, the ache in his chest grew stronger until it had his knees ready to buckle. It felt like a piece of his soul was being shattered.

  


He watched as Hermione laid there, crying and begging Bellatrix to stop, screaming that she knew nothing. He had enough and stepped forward and locked eyes with her. Using legilimency, he entered her mind and brought forth happy memories of her years in Hogwarts, her parents, her favorite poems, and her favorite songs. He pulled forth wave after wave of serotonin to soothe her.

  


Finally, his father grabbed him by the back of the neck gently as he turned him toward the fireplace’s mantle. 

  


“You mustn’t do anymore. Bellatrix will notice.” His father whispered urgently in his ear as Draco struggled to calm. 

  


He shook hard and only stopped once he heard his mother soothe him. “That’s enough, my dragon, you must calm yourself now.” 

  


Brick by brick, Draco built his walls up again. He was almost finished when hell broke loose in the form of Potter and Weasley. Before Draco could catch up with what was happening, he had been disarmed and Bellatrix had him by the throat screaming in his face. 

  


******************************

  


The party was in full swing and Draco had eyes for only one person. Hermione Granger. He knew if he was going to talk to her, now was the time. Weasley had opted out of coming back to Hogwarts, Weaslette was in deep discussion with Lovegood, and he had caught Potter snogging Theo against a wall earlier. It was now or never. 

  


Draco made his way over to her and sat down, his knee bumping hers. “Can we talk?” 

  


She watched him fidget with his ring before looking up and for the first time in his life speaking completely sincerely and honestly with no hope of gain. 

  


“I’m so sorry, Hermione, for everything.” 


End file.
